Amychophobia | Fear of Scratches or Being Scratched

(am-itch-o-fo-be-ah)

What is Amychophobia?

Amychophobia is the extreme or irrational fear of scratches or being scratched. Phobics may avoid pets, for instance. Other phobias that associated with this fear are the fear of infection and pain, and this phobia is also associated with a primal fear of injury.

The root word “amycho” is Greek (meaning scratch or itch) and the word "phobia" is Greek (meaning fear).

Causes of Amychophobia

Sufferers with allergies to animals may generate Amychophobia.

Amychophobia is a specific (or “isolated”) phobia, centered on non-social key factors. Isolated phobias tend to have some previous trauma (often in childhood and often physically injurious) as a root cause; a fear of bees may stem from an injury in childhood, for instance.

Upbringing can also play a role, such as parental warnings about a direct threat (such as “snakes can bite and kill you”) which is especially notable in cases where a threat is more imminent. (An allergy to bees or peanut butter, for instance, would naturally reinforce a real medical concern.)

It is thought that genetics and hereditary factors may play a role in specific phobias, especially those related to a danger of injury. (A primal “fight or flight” reflex may be more easily triggered in those with a genetic predisposition, for instance.)

By contrast, social phobias (like a fear of body odor or touch) are less well understood, are driven by social anxiety and are broadly labeled as “social anxiety disorder”.

In all kinds of phobias, external experiences and / or reports can further reinforce or develop the fear, such as seeing a family member or friend who is affected. In extreme cases, indirect exposures can be as remote as overhearing a reference in conversation, seeing something in the news, on TV, or in the movies.

Amychophobia, like most phobias, stems from a subconscious overprotection mechanism, and as with many phobias can also be rooted in an unresolved emotional conflict.